Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
I could surrender. Be taken. Be broken. And someone I loved would put me back together again.
What we have transcended decades’ old betrayals. It was me, Cairo, Arsenio, Legend, Jacques, and Roan now, and the day they found out who they were beyond the Bedlam Boys would be amazing... because that’d be the day they found out they were mine.
I wanted to say all of that to Cairo. None of it came out.
The gap between us was widening and I no longer knew how to reach him. According to Cairo, he didn’t want me to try.
“I think we turn here,” I rasped. “Beaumont Street. Should be the house on the end.”
Cairo acknowledged the break in silence by sliding into the next lane. He turned on Beaumont Street, passing by rows of cute little houses and neat lawns. Jack told me the man we were going to see was an old buddy from the police academy. Rhys Martin retired years ago after being injured on the job.
The two hadn’t kept in much contact, but Jack assured me he trusted the man completely. He kept my inheritance safe all these years, so I was inclined to trust him too.
“541,” I said. “This is it.”
Cairo parked on the curb and climbed out. It seemed like he was waiting for me when he paused in the driveway, though the second I stepped to his side, he walked off—taking the laid cobblestone path to the door.
Mr. Martin’s place was as charming as the other homes in the cul-de-sac. He planted a little flower garden on the front lawn, and the fountain by his front door was filled with real, croaking frogs.
Cairo shot out, grabbing my hip. “Wait.”
“What? What is it?”
“Look,” he murmured.
Following his line of sight, I saw what he noticed instantly. The front door was cracked open.
“Why would the door be open?” I whispered.
“Hang back.”
“You’re not going in there alone. Let’s just go slow.”
Cairo jerked his head, agreeing. Together we moved to the door, approaching like it might swing out and attack. I flattened my palm on the wood and pushed. My eyes bugged.
“Mr. Martin? Mr. Martin, are you okay!”
I rushed in, ignoring Cairo’s shout. A man lay on the living room carpet. Hands and legs bound, he groaned in the pool of blood dripping down his skull.
“Mr. Martin, can you hear me?” I grasped his chin, gently patting his cheek. Martin’s lids fluttered, showing me the white of his eyes. “Cairo, what do you think happened? Was he robbed? We should call the police.”
“Pretty sure I know exactly what happened.”
Something in his voice made me look up, though Cairo wasn’t looking back. Dread filling my bones, I shifted toward the hall entrance, and the man stepping out of a bedroom.
Tall. Raven-haired. Silver wings at the temple. Disarmingly handsome.
“Henry Gold.”
“Ivy.”
“What are you...?” I looked from him to the man groaning at my knees. “What have you done?”
Henry winced. “This is quite awkward. I intended to be long gone before you arrived.”
Breath vacated my lungs. Spinning and twisting, my mind strained to comprehend why the well-dressed private investigator was standing in Rhys Martin’s home—
I spotted something behind his back. “What is that?” I cried, shooting up. “What are you hiding!”
“Whoa. Relax.” Gold raised his arms, and the large brown envelope, beside his head. “I believe this is what you’re looking for.”
“How do you know what we’re looking for?” Cairo gritted. “Did you fucking tie up and beat this guy?”
Gold didn’t respond, which was answer enough.
I scrambled for my phone. “I’m calling the police.”
“That’s not a good—” Gold moved toward me and suddenly Cairo was in our path.
“No, what’s not a good idea is getting any closer to her.”
“All right,” Gold said, sliding back. “No need for that.” The guy was still talking like we walked in on him masturbating and were making a big, prudish deal about it. “I’m only trying to warn Miss de Souza that if she makes that phone call, she won’t like the consequences. Jack Sharpe revealed a lot of damning information on the bug I planted in his bedroom.”
My vein bled cold.
“It’d be difficult for him to clear your names if he’s brought up on charges for the many felonies he committed after your grandmother was murdered.”
“A bug,” I croaked.
Gold shook his head almost sadly. “I’m afraid so.”
“Why would you—?”
“Why would you bug my father’s place?” Cairo shouted over me.
“I was paid to by my employer.”
“I’m your employer,” I cried.
“You were until Steven Ellis discovered I was poking around in his affairs, and paid me twenty times my rate to work for him. He hired me to carry out one simple task.” Gold opened the envelope, drawing out an old, yellowed parchment. “Find the deed.”
I moved first.
Bolting around Cairo, I launched at him.
“Ah ah!” he shouted, whipping out a lighter. “Stay back or it burns.”